The Closet

Two Fridays ago I had a meltdown. I was 30 weeks pregnant and we'd done almost nothing to prepare for our baby boy. Sydney was sleeping in Abby's room at night but not napping there. All of Sydney's clothes were still in the nursery and there are pink girly things all over the walls. Stephen kindly agreed to buy and install closet organizer pieces to match the design I created the next day. We got up early for a Saturday. We spent most of the morning at Lowe's making sure we had all the pieces. We bought a kit to save $50 and planned to cut everything at home (because for some reason the Lowe's employees won't use their super duper "scissors" to cut closet pieces out of a kit). The man said it was "simple" and you could just use a hacksaw. $50 is a lot of money to us. It wasn't after the day was finished.

At lunchtime we had to feed the kids so we ate out. We came home and put Sydney in her crib and allowed Abby to watch a video. 45 minutes later we'd opened everything, placed it on the floor and started to read directions. We cut, measured, held up, cut again, measured, questioned measurements, measured again, tried to understand "directions", measured again, went to Ace to get drill bits the package said we needed and didn't, changed the batteries in our stud finder - just to find out it "was that bad" and then finally got the back supports on the wall. Meanwhile, Abby and Sydney were done with naps, videos, and book time and wanted to help with the tools. Pieces and parts started disappearing. Sydney was determined play with the hacksaw. Then we remembered that we'd promised Abby we'd take her to Baskin Robbins on Saturday. It was Saturday. Stephen worked while I took them for ice cream. It was late. After changing the blade in the hacksaw 3 times and watching Stephen saw away at those shelves I decided to go back to Lowe's - more determined than ever to have them use their "special scissors".

We tried a different Lowe's. The guy wasn't nice at first but I continued to be kind and I think he felt sorry for the tired pregnant lady with two kids who didn't want to be in a cart and for her husband who looked exhausted! The man cut the shelves with his special "scissors" and then he hacksawed the poles on his little bench thing. I didn't see that part. Abby had to go potty. I don't think she really needed to go, she was just bored but I did miss the part that would have made me feel guilty.

Sometime around 11:30 pm I put Abby to bed. All the clothes I'd organized to go in the closet "just so" covered our bedroom so I couldn't just let it go. It was Saturday night...the night before Sunday...our craziest day of the week.

Abby was so tired the next morning she couldn't even eat her Sunday morning pop-tart. Sydney was fine - she slept in the crib.

I moved the toys back into the room the next day after spending a fortune on bins to put the toys in. That was another trip to Lowe's.

I am happy to announce that Sydney is napping in the new organized room and has diapers, clothes, bows and all personal items there. If the girls were not sleeping I would run in and take a picture of that closet for you.

I still haven't moved the girly stuff out of the nursery. Maybe I'll take it all down right now and put it in our bedroom. I can put a "half" check mark on my to-do list.

Fireplace Fumble

Last night while I was preparing dinner I heard the girls laughing and shouting gleefully in the living room. It made my heart happy to hear how entertained they were by one another.

The blissfulness ended quickly with one of the loudest screams I've heard come out of Sydney. I RAN, scooped her up and just walked to the bathroom with her screaming "No, No, No!" and kicking her feet the whole way. I could tell there was a good bit of blood but she kept burying her face in my chest so I couldn't get a good look. Abby showed me her knee, which was very red and said it hit Sydney in the face.

Apparently, they had strategically placed the couch cushions on the floor in front of the fireplace and were jumping off, falling on the pillows. Unfortunately, they jumped at the same time and Abby's knee landed on Sydney's nose and upper lip, both were bloody!

After some ibuprofen, ice packs and a little freaking out on my part, Sydney recovered. Here are some pictures of the injuries (isn't she pitiful?):

But don't worry, Abby apologized, Sydney accepted and they were hugging and back to loving each other very quickly!

As for me, I will be checking in on the girls anytime I hear them giggling in a room from now on! And we have two new rules, "No jumping off the fireplace" and "Do not put couch cushions on the floor".

Praise - Lee Anne's MRI Results

This is what Lee Anne emailed today:

I spoke with the Neurologist and the results are great. There is no blockage or sign of a tumor. The veins were in good shape and listed as "unremarkable". Of course, I found that slightly offensive but it is a good result. ;-) The brain tissue is in good shape and no sign of trauma. My tingling is reducing and there is no need for further intervention. We are going to continue under the diagnosis of TIA (transient ischemic attack) and remain off of the Imitrex, Relpax, etc (tripan family of drugs) and continue on the aspirin daily along with the migraine preventative med and use pain management prescriptions for any future migraines. I have had plenty of opportunities for additional migraines with hormones, travel and stress over the last week and thankfully I have had none. Thank you so much for your prayers!!!

On our way out of Greenville last week there was a church with Romans 8:28 on the sign and we have been talking with the kids about it I have been reading through Romans over the past week and thought I would share this with you. Thank you for agreeing in prayer and interceding through and with the Holy Spirit on my behalf. I have felt a peace, power and presence of our Living God through this week and I know I have been the beneficiary of your prayers and God's mercy. I am praising God not so much for the MRI results, although I am thankful for them, but for His presence and peace through the unknown and for the hope and future where we as His children are joined with Him and are no longer in waiting. Giving God the glory for the results, the peace and the friendship of believers - thank you for walking this with me!

Romans 8:18-28
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

With love and appreciation for you!
LA

the cavin family

Lee Anne's MRI

Lee Anne and her family drove from Tampa to Atlanta on Monday night and she had the MRI yesterday afternoon. As of right now, no news is good news! She expects to find out the results from the MRI in a week and believes at this point they didn't find anything alarming.

She said yesterday the numbness is getting better. She no longer has numbness in her leg, just mild numbness in the lower part of her arm. She thinks what remains may just be residual from the old medication.

Thank you for joining me in praying for her. If we hear anything else I will post it.

Joseph and Megan's Wedding

It feels like it was just a day ago...my cousin, Joseph was a 12-year old boy, going to his first college football game, watching the best team in the state of SC, wearing a black USC FCA shirt I'd gotten him. He had his picture taken with Duce Staley after that game. I'll always remember his sweet little grin! He's grown up so very fast and I am so very proud of the man he's become!

Yesterday, he married the woman of his dreams. She is exactly the woman we would have chosen for him! The best part is that he loves Jesus and he and Megan are determined to live their lives according to God's will.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. The wedding was on the South Carolina Botanical Gardens and the reception was just behind it. Matt Williams (our main teaching pastor at Grace Church) performed the ceremony and Matt Kelley did the music. Both the Matt's made it very personal and special!

I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid, Stephen a groomsmen, and Abby and Sydney were both flower girls. Steve Carson was the best man and Mandy, Megan's sister, was the maid of honor. Rob Allen was also a groomsman and Katie Foster was a bridesmaid.

Joseph's ushers, decorated and REWIRED his truck so that every time he put on the brakes the horn would blow. They wrote "We're naked...right now" on the front of the truck, put catfish bait in his truck and in his tool box and they outfitted the car with cans and things that made loud noises because they were sitting on his alternator?!?! Agricultural Mechanical Engineering students are dangerous! Here's some footage of the happy couple leaving:

Update on Lee Anne

Thank you so much for those of you who joined me in praying for the Cavins. Lee Anne did go to Emory yesterday and the doctors told her they are confident this is non-emergent and they sent her away to have fun on her vacation this weekend. They think that the spot was either an artifact (smudge) on the film or possibly a stroke that was self-healing. They have changed her medication and she will have a MRI on the way home on Tuesday. The numbness is getting better, not gone, and she passed all the neurological tests. She said the appointment was actually rather funny. She had the NP, a nursing student and the NP's professor and then finally the head of neurology. There were a lot of tests with her eyes closed (touching her nose, walking, sensation - the one she struggled with the most - but ended up passing), and they made jokes about pushing her over, giving her bunny ears, etc. The neurologist continued the jokes when he said the CT showed she actually HAD a brain. She said she stayed at the Holiday Inn Express last night, so she is ready for him now! Please continue to pray for this family as they travel and for Lee Anne's migraine on Tuesday. Thank you SO very much!

Call to Prayer

If you are reading this, please consider it a personal request from me for you to pray for a dear friend of mine, Lee Anne Cavin. She has suffered from migraines for many years now. She is an authentic woman of God and he is definitely at work in her family. The Cavins have been used by Him to touch many people in our body. He also has really shown off by working miraculously in their lives in the past.

Lee Anne has been experiencing some numbness with the migraines lately and called her doctor at Emory and he ordered a CT Scan immediately. A spot was discovered at the junction of her Rt parietal and occipital lobes. She is going to Atlanta (Emory) tomorrow and is trying to see if she can have an MRI done then. Please pray that God will bless this family for continuing to trust Him and please pray that God would be most glorified through the results of this process. And of course, are asking Him to heal her completely. Thank you for joining me in praying for them.

Here is what Lee Anne just emailed to me, she is encouraging me, now!

It is amazing to me how quickly a day (circumstances) can change. What doesn't change is the important - the faithfulness of our Lord, the value of community (true family) and strength and comfort that the Holy Spirit provides. Praising Him for being with us at all times and knowing whatever we find out tomorrow or whenever, it is no surprise to Him. Praying for health to enjoy more of His blessings but trusting and knowing God has all that in His hands.